Liquid fuel.



W. A. HALL.

LIQUID FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6. NH.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

a No: we 1;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. HALL, 03' NEW YOBK, N. Y.

Application fled' my 0,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Aueoeros HALL, a citizen of, the United States of America, and residing at New York city, New York, United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Liquid Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of this invention is a new hydrocarbon liquid fuel suitable for use in high speed internal combustion engines and possessing'the desirable qualities of both benzol and petrol. The new product is a slow burning fuel yet has as Iowan initial boiling point as ordinary asolene and as large or larger fractions vo atile at low temperature (say below 80 C.). It is substantially free from liability to preignite and therefore in an engine using the fuel knocking does not occur even with the spark advanced; A a direct result there is muchiless wear and tear on the engine, and the engine can be operated while under full' load at lower engine speed or on a higher gear than when run "on ordinary "gasolene, which means a considerable saving in -fuel consumption, less frequent changing of gears and sllpping of clutches. Such. fuel has been found particularly advantageous for use in commercial vehicles and in city trailic where frequentj stopping and starting is required. The new fuel reduced in .the manner hereinafter described can be .cut at a higher temperature than can ordinary gasolene-it can be out say at 180 C,, ascompared withlGO? C. in the case of an ordinary gasolene. Its larger fractions volatile at low temperature have been. found to, carry complete combustion to the fractions volatile only at the highest tem-, peratures, a considerably increased mileage per gallon consumed bein the result.

Thelow flash point and low initial boiling point give in an engine run on the fuel great ease in starting in cold weather, and owing to its large fractions volatile at low. temperature great flexibility andquiclmess of acceleration is obtained. -It'has been found: that as great flexibility andea'se' of .startin can be obtained with this fuelwh'en cut at 180 C., and of specific gravity 0.760. as can be obtained on gasolen'e of specific gravity 0.730 cutat 160 C. A distinguishin characteristic of the new fuel is that it contains a r0 rtion of unsaturated hydrocarbons-w ic pro-i portion will naturally vary with the 011 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1917. 191;. ser al m. 28,395.

' used in its production and with the details of the operation. It contains a large percentage of hydrocarbons of the ethylene series but is nevertheless quite free from the objectionable features ordinarily inhercnt in products containin more than a small percentage of such hy rocarbons.

The fuel having these peculiar and highly valuable properties may be produced by an endothermic chemical reaction between a. gas which would be permanent under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure, and a vapor of a hydrocarbon spirit, which vapor, if condensed to a liquid in the customary manner' at atmospheric temperature, would not answer the purpose of. a satisfactory motor fuel, the combination of the permanent as and vapor being affected by mechanica compi'ession while at a temperature sufficiently highto maintain said hydrocarbon spirit largely or wholly in the vapor. state.

The new liquid fuel may be compared and contrasted with petrol as follows The new fuel possesses an abnormally high specific gravity in accordance with its boiling points as distinguished from petrol and can. be nitrated in the same mangmer as benzol. The fact that this material can be nitrated, by treating the same with nitric acid, shows that it contains considerable proportions of aromatic hydrocarbons.

In one example it has a specific gravity of about .767, yet bn fractionation has, an initial boiling point of about 33 (1., allboiling below 150 C., boiling below 100' C; a straight gasolene distillate having such fractionation would have a specific gravity of about .70.

The new fuel readily nitrates,- due to the presence of aromatic hydrocarbons combinin with its own weight or more of nitric acid and in this respect, differing from petrol which does notnitrate.

Theodor of the new fuel when fully refined is quite different from that of petrol or gasolene.

The new fuel is-agls'o characterized by havnew fuel, a sweet aromatic odor is produced.

The new fuel contains a certain amount of the aromatic series of hydrocarbons, (ben'zol andtoluol); it always contains a certain amount of unsaturated hydrocarbons-(or hydrocarbons of the ethylene series, and some hydrocarbons more unsaturated,

than the ethylenes) varying between 20 and 50% and its iodin and romin numbers are in accordance therewith.

The new fuel may be distinguished from gasolene by the following mode of identification :-If a natural gasolene distillate that is practically all saturated, such as Pratts erfection spirit and standard shell spirit,

e mixed with denatured ethyl alcohol half and half, then approximately g of this mixture will be found that is miscible and will remain uncombined, non-miscible. Substantially the same result is obtained When the new fuel is so treated, but if the unsaturated portions of the new fuel be separated and taken off by sulfuric acid absorption and the saturated portions, after bein washed and refined, be mixed with alcoho the saturated portion will not be at all miscible either in ethyl alcohol or methyl alcohol.

This spirit has a higher calorific value than gasolene and will give about 15% more miles per gallon in the average motor car.

Another charcateristic is that it will evaporate more rapidly than gasolene or even than benzol.

The fuel has a composition of approximately 85.9% of carbon and 12.76% of hydrogen, corresponding to a carbon to hydrogen ratio of 0.73 to 1, the carbon being in excess of that required by either the saturated or ethylene series of hydrocarbons due to the prewnoe of aromatic and acetylene hydrocarbons. The liquid yields, when distilled up to 150 C., more or less of gases and vapors uncondensed by ordinary water cooling, these gases containing about 26.6%- of unsaturated hydrocarbons. When this gas is treated with fuming sulfuric acid, then mixed with oxygen and ex loded, carbon dioxid and Water vapor in t e ratio of 3 to 4 (by weight) are produced, and the gas without the sulfuric acid treatment, when being mixed with oxygen and exploded giving carbon dioxid and water vapor in the ratio of 5 to 4.1.

The following table indicates in detail the fractions of the new fuel boiling at temperatures differing by 10 C.

Sp. G12..- .767 I. B. 1 33 C- Boiling u to 2 P u 0 10 i a a 9() 7t G 100 61 u u 50 All over- I call attention particularly to the very large amounts of material volatile at temperatures between 80 nd 100? C., as shown in the above table.

The new fuel may be produced from paraflin mineral oil by a process consisting of the followin steps:

(1) Cracking an oil (which may be crude, gas, fuel, lamp or almost any distillate that in itself has a range of boiling temperatures that would not permit its use as a fuel in the ordinary automobile engine) in a continuous tube of small size (1 to 3 inches in diameter) and of sufficient length, at an average temperature of from 540 C. to 600 C. on the exterior of the tube and under pressure preferably of about 75 lbs. per square inch, with a speed of flow of oil in the pipe regulated to produce a maximum of cracking with a minimum of fixed or permanent gas consistent with economy of operation.

(2) Expanding the product subsequent to the cracking operation by reducing the pressure.

(3) Cooling the vapors and gases when in this expanded state and from them separating such portions as condense below the point at which the cut is to be madeusually from 180 C. to 200 C.

(4) Producing an endothermic chemical reaction between the gas and vapors by compressing in a mechanical compressor to a. pressure preferably from 100 to 125 lbs. per square inch all the gas thathas been produced along with all the vapors that boil below the temperature of the out, admitting these into the cylinder of the compressor at a temperature sufficiently high that they enter while in the state of vapor and mist, the fixed gas that has not been attached being permitted to separate after cooling under pressure, subsequent to the mechanical compression and be collected for other use.

(5) Clarifying and deodorizing the product by extracting the yellow resinous colloidal matter which it contains, preferably by distilling it in the presence of a small amount of fullers earth.

The process herein described may be carried out in an apparatus such as is shown in the accompanying drawing. In said drawing oil is forced by the pump 1, through the superheating coil 2, heating coil 4, located in a space 3, heated by burners 5. 6 is a pyrometer placed between the coils of the pipe 4. The gases and vapors pass by pipe past the pressure-regulating valve 8, into a first cooler 9, surrounded by a cooling jacket 10, and filled if desired with a suitable filling material 11, and any heavy condensate collected therein being drawn ofi through pipe 12. The gases and uncondense vapors flow by pipe 13 to a second similar cooler 14, 1n which a light condensate may separate o ut, which may be drawn off through pipe '15, to be again introduced from pump 1 into the heating coils. The gases and vapors leaving the upper part of the tower 14, for example at a temperature of 180 to 200 (1., pass through a trap 16, wherein a portion of the mist carried by the gases may separate out, and be returned to the tower 14 by means of the pipe 16. The gases and vapors are then compressed in the pump 17, wherein the endothermic reaction takes place, and are passed by pipe 18 to condensers 19and 20, the condensate collecting in tank 21, and the uncondensed gas escapes through the pipe 22.

In my copending application 26,546, I have described and claimed a crude motor fuel, produced in accordance with the process described herein, certain of the claims of said application being broad enough to cover also the refined fuel.

This application is in part a continuation of my copending applications as follows:

Serial No. 824,194filed March 12', 1914,

Serial No. 829,634filed April 6, 1914,

Serial No. 3,955-filed January 23, 1915, in which applications I have claimed the process described in the present application.

I do not herein claim the process and apparatus herein described, the same being claimed in the cases above enumerated, and in my Patent 1,175,909 and in my copending application 77,375 filed February 9,

I claim:

1. A water-white liquid fuel having the composition when analyzed of approximately carbon 85.9%, hydrogen 12.76%, having a carbonto hydrogen ratio of about 6.73 to 1, said fuel having a specific gravity of not materially below .76, a materially larger percentage of the same being volatile at 100 C., than would be the case with ordinary gasolene, said fuel containing ethylene hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons, said fuel being further characterized by the properties of slow burning, rapid ignition, having fiash point and initial boiling point at least as low as those of ordinary gasolene and high bromin absorption value, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter.

2. A refined liquid fuel having approximately the composition when analyzed of carbon 85.9, hydrogen 12.76, a carbon-hydrogen ratio of 6.73 to 1, the carbon being in excess of that requiredby either the saturated or ethylene series, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter.

3. A motor fuel which when treated with sulfuric acid in amount suflicient to remove the unsaturated portions, leaves a saturated liquid substantially all of which is immiscible with either methyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol, said fuel containing aromatic hydrocarbons, open-chain saturated hydrocarbons, and open-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons.

4. A liquid fuel having about 35% volatile at 80 0., and a specific gravity of not less than .7 6, having an initial boiling point at least as low as that of ordinary gasolene, said fuel being substantially free from resinous matter, said fuel containing aro- -matic hydrocarbons, open-chain saturated hydrocarbons, and open-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons.

5. A liquid fuel having a gravity not below .76, about 35% thereof being volatile at 80 (1., said fuel being free from yellowish, colloidal, resinous matter, said fuel containing aromatic hydrocarbons, open-chain saturated hydrocarbons, and open-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons.

6. Arefined motor fuel characterized by the properties of slow burning, and rapid ignition, said fuel having flash point and initial boiling point at least as low as those of ordinary asolene, having fractions volatile at 80 5., and at 100 C., at least as large as those of ordinary gasolene, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter, said fuel containing aromatic hydrocarbons, open-chain saturated hydrocarbons, and open-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons.

7. A water-White motor fuel containing considerable quantities of unsaturated hydrocarbons, said fuel having an initial boiling point below 35 C., having a specific gravity of not less than .76, and having materially larger fractions volatile at 100 0., than would be the case with ordinary gasolene. said fuel being substantially free from yellow, resinous, colloidal matter, and having a carbon to hydrogen ratio of about 6.73: l.

8. A water-white motor fuel suitable for use in internal combustion engines having a specific gravity not materially below .76, and having a carbon to hydrogen ratio of 6.73 to 1, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter.

9. A Water-white motor fuel having a gravity of about .76, having as much as 35% volatilcat 80 C., all of said fuel distilling below 150 C., said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter, said fuel containing aromatic hydrocarbons, open-chain saturated hydrocarbons, and open-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons.

10. A water-white hydrocarbon product having a gravity not materially below .76, containing olefin hydrocarbons and openchain hydrocarbons more unsaturated than the olefins, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter, and not materially less than 35% of said fuel being volatile at C.

11. A liquid hydrocarbon motor fuel, having a gravity of not less than .76, and containing aromatic hydrocarbons, olefin hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons more unsaturated than olefin hydrocarbons, not less than about 35% of said fuel being volatile at 80 (1., and not less than about 61% of said fuel being volatile at 0., said fuel having a carbon to hydrogen ratio of about 6.73 to 1, and having a higher calorific value than ordinary gasolene, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, resinous, colloidal matter.

12. A substantially water-white motor fuel consisting essentially of hydrocarbons, and containing aromatic hydrocarbons, olefin hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons more unsaturated than the olefins, said fuel having a gravity of not less than about .76, said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, colloidal, resinous matter, and having a carbon to hydrogen ratio of substantially 6.73:1.

13. A motor fuel. having a boiling point range of at least from 33 C. to 140 (1, being substantially water white, free from colloidal, resinous, yellowish matter in solution, and having a carbon to hydrogen ratio of about 6.73 to 1.

14. A water-white motor fuel containing ethylene hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocars,

bons, and open-chain hydrocarbons more unsaturated than olefin hydrocarbons, not less than about 60% of said fuel being volatile at 100 C., said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, colloidal, resinous matter.

15. motor fuel of agravity of over .7 6' of whlch not less than about 61% is volatile at 100 (3., said fuel being substantially free from yellowish, colloidal, resinous matter.

16. A motor fuel having substantially the following fractionation table:

Boiling up a 50 0 2 u t a 600 C 10 c c a 700 O 22 a n it 00 C c C 900 C a u cc 1000 C 61 0 71.5% 4 u. 1 0 C 82 ti 4 1300 O 2: 1: 2 95 150 C, substantially all Boiling up to 50 C 2 u c 600 G 10 (S K 700 C t it Ct 00 C u u L 900 G G G 110 0 71.5% 4 K O c C t. 1300 C :2 0 95 C, substantially all.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. HALL. Witnesses:

H. D. Jamnson, HAROLD E. C. Famwnarnnn. 

